1: One of the Boons listed in Covenants (page 9) is "Vivid Environment", which "provides bonuses for the calculations given in the Governance chapter". But I can't seem to find any specific mechanic that implements these bonuses in the Governance chapter, like I can for Aging modifiers for example. Has anyone encountered and resolved this before?
2: While reading about preternatural tethers (Realms of Power: Magic, pages 8 and 10), which cause (some) magical auras, I noticed that it's actually possible to lower an aura's strength by adding another preternatural tether, which seems strange. The relevant rule is that the Preternatural Aura Score is the "strongest preternatural tether + 1 per additional tether at least half as strong [maximum 5]".
For example, if there are currently four or more +1 preternatural tethers in the same place, then the Preternatural Aura Score will be 4 or 5, respectively. However, if we then add in an additional +3 preternatural tether, then none of the +1 tethers count any more, so the Preternatural Aura Score goes down to 3.
Similarly, if there are currently a +2 preternatural tether and at least three +1 preternatural tethers in the same place, then the Preternatural Aura Score will be 5. However, if we then add in an additional +3 preternatural tether, then none of the +1 tethers count any more (although the +2 tether still does), so the Preternatural Aura Score goes down to 4.
Has this been noticed before? Could it possibly intentional for some reason? It seems to me to be an unintended, and unfortunate, consequence of the rules.
I would assign a situational modifier to Loyalty; 5-10 sounds right. A Living Conditions bonus of 1 can be bought as a Minor Boon, and that grants 10 loyalty points. Vivid Environment is also a Minor Boon, so I would rate them similarly. I'd be inclined to give less loyalty points from Vivid Environment, since it doesn't actually let you live longer.
Okay, clearly there's nothing anywhere in RAW about this. It seems that the only thing "provides bonuses for the calculations given in the Governance chapter" could possibly refer to is a bonus to the Prevailing Loyalty Score. Let's compare to other Boons and Hooks that modify Prevailing Loyalty:
Healthy Environment (Minor Boon): Since it adds +1 to Aging rolls, it also grants +10 to the Prevailing Loyalty score as per the table on page 38.
Loyal Covenfolk (Minor Boon): This sets the Prevailing Loyalty score to +30. For an average covenant with regularly Gifted magi and no other modifiers to Prevailing Loyalty, this is a +30 bonus if the covenant has been around long enough that all the covenfolk are familiar with the magi, a +60 bonus if the covenant is brand new.
Rebellious Covenfolk (Major Hook): This sets the Prevailing Loyalty score to -75. For an average covenant, this is a -75 penalty if the covenfolk are familiar with the magi, a -45 penalty if the covenant is brand new.
Healthy Environment gives a significant advantage outside of Prevailing Loyalty; Vivid Environment gives a modest advantage (easier to recruit new inhabitants); Loyal Covenfolk does nothing outside Prevailing Loyalty. Maybe Vivid Environment's bonus to Prevailing Loyalty should be between the two Boons', say +20? (I just read Mark's post above; if Vivid Environment gives a smaller bonus, why would anyone ever take that Boon over Healthy Environment?)
Some of us do both. Story always comes first, but there has to be a reasonable suspension of disbelief. Real people rarely conduct their lives around what would make the best story. Well, I do, but I am an unusual one. I seek out strange adventures
Having said that, there is no reason you couldn't take both. There is no cap on how many boons and hooks you can take, they just have to balance. Toss "Unknown Hook" in there once or twice will give you plenty of points to play with. Unknown is a valueable tool for Troupe style play, allowing a Beta SG to cook up whatever they desire without reference to existing hooks and flaws.
However, having said that, most regular folk would often choose a "Vivid Environment" over a "Healthy" one. There are no game statistics to be read in reality, and people make many decisions based on emotions.
Tend to add whatever arbitrary bonus VERY roughly equal to other minor boons that seems suitable with the rest of the setup.
In the only saga i recall right now, it gave a decent bonus to everything that was grown within the regio, which was also huge in size as well.
Pft... And you cant do both?
Lost too many games of Risk did you? :mrgreen:
Oh my, whats that game im running in the background here... Oooh a heavily modded game of Star Wars Rebellion...
Hmm, considering the mod randomised a starting point where the rebs got about 20 times the fleet assets, i guess it will take a little while longer than normally...
Meh, end result SHALL be an insignificant rebellion crushed: youtube.com/watch?v=8x7NlzmBQsE youtube.com/watch?v=0j6Pv_hlJXc
8)
Old game. Still fun. Strategy and tactical game where you can still run around with the classic characters and cause some fun "incidents", nice.
